smooth down
To make calm; calm down.
Mrs. Smith's feelings were hurt and we couldn't smooth her down.
stand on one's own feet
stand on one's own two feet
To depend on yourself; do things yourself; earn your own living; be independent.
After his father died, John had to stand on his own feet and earn his own living.
You should learn to stand on your own two feet.
step down
To come down in one move from a higher position to a lower.
As soon as the train stopped, the conductor stepped down to help the passengers off.
To make go slower little by little.
The train was approaching the station, so the engineer stepped it down.
To leave a job as an official or some other important position.
When the judge became ill, he had to step down.
Next May the principal will step down after thirty-five years of service to the school.
The angry shareholders wanted the company president to step down because of the stock scandal.
stew in one's own juice
To suffer from something that you have caused to happen yourself.
John lied to Tom, but Tom found out. Now Tom is making John stew in his own juice.
I warned you not to steal those apples. You got caught, and you can stew in your own juice.
take down a notch
take down a peg
To make (someone) less proud or sure of himself.
Сделать (кого-либо) менее гордым или уверенным в себе.
The team was feeling proud of its record, but last week the boys were taken down a peg by a bad defeat.
Команда гордилась своими результатами, но на прошлой неделе ребята потерпели поражение.
After winning the award, Jenna was glowing with confidence, but her manager reminded her to take it down a notch and stay grounded.
Получив награду, Дженна излучала уверенность в себе, но ее менеджер напомнил ей, что нужно сбавить обороты и оставаться приземленной.
The manager took down a peg the employee who kept interrupting others in meetings, reminding him to listen more and speak less.
Менеджер отчитал сотрудника, который постоянно перебивал других на совещаниях, напомнив ему больше слушать и меньше говорить.
After his impressive performance, Mark's coach told him to take it down a notch in practice; confidence is great, but overconfidence can lead to mistakes.
После впечатляющего выступления тренер Марка посоветовал ему сбавить обороты на тренировках: уверенность — это здорово, но излишняя самоуверенность может привести к ошибкам.
take down
To write or record (what is said).
I will tell you how to get to the place; you had better take it down.
To pull to pieces; take apart.
It will be a big job to take that tree down.
In the evening the campers put up a tent, and the next morning they took it down.
We should take the pictures down from the wall and clean off the dust.
To reduce the pride or spirit of; humble.
Bob thought he was a good wrestler, but Henry took him down.
The secretary took down everything that was said at the meeting.
take lying down
To accept something without defense or protest.
Принять что-либо без защиты и протеста.
If you take such insults lying down, you will only encourage more of the same.
Если вы смиритесь с такими оскорблениями, вы только поощрите их еще больше.
You'll never be respected around here if you keep taking these taunts lying down.
Тебя никогда не будут здесь уважать, если ты продолжишь безропотно воспринимать эти насмешки.
I will not take this lying down! You can expect to hear from my attorney.
Я не собираюсь терпеть это безропотно! Вы можете ожидать ответа от моего адвоката.
take the law into one's own hands
To protect one's supposed rights or punish a suspected wrongdoer without reference to a court. An overused expression.
When the men of the settlement caught the suspected murderer, they took the law into their own hands and hanged him to a tree.
His farm was going to be sold for taxes, but he took the law into his own hands and drove the sheriff away with a shotgun.